Story

Outside Worship is a collective of music makers bound together by our love of Jesus and born out of a desire for community in worship leading and songwriting. Our heart is to create space for meaningful and transformative encounters with God through worship in Spirit and truth.

We are dreaming up a fellowship of songwriters, worship leaders, artists, poets and innovators to press into God's heart for the outcast and disconnected, those hungry for belonging and for the presence of God.

Our Story

There's an amazing moment in the Book of First Samuel when the Israelites are victorious in battle over the Philistine army. It was divine triumph: "the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day." The prophet Samuel commemorates this miracle by erecting a stone, saying "thus far the Lord has helped us." This "Ebenezer" was not just a tangible reminder of a present victory, but one to remember God's past provision and also to look forward with hope to the future.

Outside Worship is a collection of such “stones of remembrance” being raised over a few decades. It is an ongoing story of various triumphs, struggles, humility, epiphany, and obedience that could only be woven together by God.

Anna, Phil, and Marty grew up with a love for music at the center of their lives as part of the Salvation Army, with its rich tradition of choirs and brass bands. In the context of this shared heritage, we learned to lead worship together as young adults, growing in maturity as musicians and followers of Jesus, each increasingly aware of how a collective is more than the sum of its parts.

Much has happened since the “early days,” including growing families, jobs, ministries, and communities. All three of us have continued to lead congregations in worship in varying places and contexts. Yet it seems that our story together isn’t finished, and when all three of our families found ourselves living in New York City in 2016, a stirring began as new life was breathed into old friendships. As we have taken risks and steps of faith together, it has been discovered that what has remained true among us all this time is a deep and shared longing for transformation through encountering God through Spirit-led worship.

Today, Outside Worship is about walking through the doors God is opening before us, one at a time. We want to see healing, restoration, and wholeness happen as the love of Jesus transforms lives, communities, cities, and nations in our time. Jesus says in John 4 that the Father is seeking true worshippers who will worship in Spirit and in truth. We desire to help mobilize the next generation to stand on the front lines and proclaim: "Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever" (2 Chronicles). We are following in the footsteps of David declaring that "the House of God be a place of worship without boundaries" (2 Samuel).